More than 5,000 people have signed a petition to scrap the uniforms to be worn by Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

According to the BBC, the campaign to have the turquoise, fuchsia and navy tartan outfits, designed by the textile artist Jilli Blackwood, ditched has spread around the world.

The Commonwealth Games begin in Glasgow on 23 July with a ceremony at Celtic Park featuring athletes wearing the parade uniform. Comments on Twitter have compared it to “a pair of curtains” or “something a 70s dance troupe would wear”.

Lorna Gillies has backed the change.org petition “to stop the host nation being a laughing stock”. She told the BBC: “I’m a Scot living in Australia and this monstrosity of an outfit is an embarrassment to our nation. My Australian friends have had a good laugh at it, asking if it’s actually a joke.

“They won’t be the only other nation laughing. Change it and let our athletes wear an outfit they can feel pride in, not embarrassment.”